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Members of the community visit the St. Ambrose University during a St. Ambrose Academy reunion several years ago.

St. Ambrose enrollment stabilizes after growth

David Heitz

Sep 27, 2010

JEFF COOK

Members of the community visit the St. Ambrose University during a St. Ambrose Academy reunion several years ago.

St. Ambrose University’s enrollment has stabilized in an
intentional move aimed at responding to the concerns of its
neighbors after a decade of growth by the Davenport college.

Enrollment figures announced Monday show a total of 2,813
undergraduate students this fall, along with 850 graduate students.
Those numbers compare with 2,885 undergraduate and 844 graduate
students in the fall of 2009.

“Our fall report is showing the results of deliberate work over
the past several years to stabilize our enrollment numbers and
student body size,” said James Loftus, vice president for
enrollment management and students services.

“While St. Ambrose’s growth over the past decade has most
certainly benefited the community,” he said, “we are now focused on
building strong neighborhood relations, providing facilities that
meet the expectations and needs of our current students, and
increasing retention and diversity.”

The university’s neighbors have complained about a lack of
parking around the campus as well as rowdy parties. The university
has held neighborhood meetings to address issues and update
neighbors about its plans.

“We want to maintain that good feeling of a small, yet dynamic
university,” Loftus said.

Meanwhile, the university’s numbers show an increase in
diversity and retention measured by the percentage of freshman
students who return for their sophomore year. Self-identified
minority students in the freshman class increased from 9.4 percent
to 12.5 percent. Overall, undergraduate diversity numbers increased
from 8.5 percent to 10.5 percent.

“We appreciate the global society which we live in and are
immersed in the ability for people to learn more and be part of a
more diverse experience,” Loftus said. “Diversity makes all
experiences richer for everyone. We want to understand why we’re
all here and what we’re working toward.”

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In order to increase retention, the university has set up
programs such as the Urban Plunge, Loftus said, where freshman
students go out and do activities in the community and reflect on
them. They also have the opportunity to take co-related classes,
where different courses center on a common theme.

Antonio Raya, a freshman from East Moline, said he looked at
several colleges and universities before deciding on St. Ambrose.
“I liked the family atmosphere it has. Everybody says ‘hi’ on the
sidewalks. It’s a place where I felt I could excel academically,
spiritually and even as a person.”

Raya said he is glad the university is increasing its diversity
numbers. “Diversity is a good thing,” he said.